Recently, when I was searching out orchid species flowering according to seasons, I had to check out each orchid to find out the season in which it flowered. I found that even though most orchid books mention season of flowering, however there was no separate list which mentions orchids flowering in one particular season.
This was tiresome, so I thought of putting together a list of orchid species according to the season of their flowering. As it is winter now, the present list (collected from different sources) includes those orchids which flower at this time of the year. Please note that most orchids mentioned in the list below are found growing in South-Asia.
• Japanese temperate orchids, Calanthe sieboldii and C. arisanense flower during spring.
• Gastrochilus acutifolius is an early winter flowering tropical orchid, while G. dasypogon is a tropical orchid which flowers as winters progresses
• Liparis viridiflora also flowers in winter and is found in tropical to sub-tropical region
• Monomeria barbata, a sub-tropical orchid flowers during spring
• Oberonia ensiformis, O. falconeri, O. iridifolia, O. pachyrachis, O. pyrulifera are early winter flowering tropical orchids, while Oberonia pachyphylla is a tropical spring flowering orchid
• Oncidiums are South American orchids. Oncidiums which flower in winters are O. cornigerum, O. cultratum. Some Oncidiums flower throughout the year, like O. globuliferum, O. scansor etc.
• Andean large flowered Odontoglossum orchids thrive in winter months and are also quite easy to grow. Many flower in winters. Check out your local nurseries for orchids in bloom.
• Otochilus fuscus, O. lancilabius, O. porrectus are sub-tropical winter flowering orchids
• Panisea demissa flowers in early winter and is a sub-tropical orchid
• Paphiopedilums are mostly found in temperate regions with many flowering in winters. Some like Paphiopedilum fairrieanum is a winter flowering sub-tropical orchid, while P. venustum, P. wardii, P. insigne and P. micranthum are shade loving subtropical spring flowering orchids
• Papilionanthe hookeriana is a sub-tropical spring flowering orchid with beautiful flowers
• The terrestrial orchids like Phaius flavus, P. mishmensis and P. montanus are found growing in tropical to sub-tropical regions and start to flower in winters and continue flowering till spring. P. tankervilleae a hardy orchid has been stated by many as a spring flowering orchid, but my plant always flowered at the advent of monsoons, in the month of July to be exact!
• Phalaenopsis, also called moth orchids, are shade loving warm orchids. However, P. mannii flowers during winters, while sub-tropical P. honghenensis flowers in spring
• Pholidota missionariorum is a shade loving spring flowering orchid, and P. protracta another shade loving winter flowering sub-tropical orchid
• Some Phragmipediums also flower in winters.
• Pleiones orchids have big flowers. Sub-tropical P. humilis flowers in spring
• Mnay Platanthera orchids tolerate low temperatures and flower in winters as well as spring, like P. epiphytica, P. camtschatica and P. cristata
• Sunipia bicolor flowers in winters
• Trias disciflora, T. nasuta, T. stocksii are winter flowering beautiful orchids
• The tropical Tylostylis discolour flowers throughout winter and spring
I hope this helps you all in selecting orchids:-)
Note: Abbreviated words such as "C." in 'Calanthe sieboldii and C. arisanense' represents the genus being explained in that point. That is "C." here means Calanthe, while, "O." in 'O. falconeri' means Oberonia.